Open house maps improvements of US 290 Corridor extending to Grand Parkway

Kentesheia Dockery

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, October 11, 2005

The US 290 Corridor project is currently in its third stage following a notice of intent, scoping, issue identification (meaning physical, biological and socioeconomic) and now, alternative analysis when the public has an opportunity to view the schematic design. The projected schematic design is the final phase in the next phase, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, "evaluating the potential impacts from construction and operation of the proposed improvements including but not limited to transportation impacts, air and noise impacts from construction equipment and operation of the facilities, water quality impacts from construction area and roadway storm water runoff, impacts to wetlands from right-of-way encroachment, impacts to historic and archeological resources, and land use/relocation impacts from right-of-way encroachment," according to an informative project piece. The proposed expansion will include a recommended alignment of five general-purpose lanes in each direction from IH-610 to Jones Road; four general-purpose lanes in each direction from Jones Road to the future Grand Parkway (SH 99) and three general-purpose lanes in each direction from near future Grand Parkway (SH 99) to FM 2920, plus auxiliary lanes for traffic movement. Engineers hope to begin the first stages of construction in 2013.

Additionally there are recommended alignment of Hempstead Road and other managed lanes: four-lane, barrier-separated, manage lane facility (toll/HOV) between IH-610 and future Grand Parkway (SH 99), two-lane frontage road (Hempstead Road) in each direction from IH-610 to Beltway 8, and a reserved high capacity transit corridor from IH-610 to future Grand Parkway (SH 99). Engineers hope to begin the first stages of construction approximately in 2010 and be opened by 2013.

"A lot of people just wanted us to get on with it," said Pat Henry of TxDOT. "Jersey Village is probably as impacted as any corridor because of the Beltway all of the traffic which makes for a troubled spot."

By Wednesday, the construction project was expected to cost some $1.5 billion including developments at Hempstead Road, but the amount does not include right-of-way acquisitions or utility costs - although TxDOT has hopes on acquiring as little land as possible.

For more information about the 290 Corridor transportation project, visit www.dot.state.tx.us; or contact Dr. Stanley Cooper, project manager at the Texas Department of Transportation, 713-802-5244 or scooper@dot.state.tx.us.